Photo Journeys - Bus 858

Yishun Stadium

I've always like photographs and photography but only had the opportunity to really learn about it in university in the US. However, after I graduated, work just kept getting in the way and soon I stopped shooting all together and my trusty and loyal Minolta Dynax 500si and my Canon AE-1 just sat and sat on my shelf, neglected and dusty.

But my trip to Guizhou really re-awaken my interest and I've been shooting almost everyday since I bought the Fuji v10 on Sunday. The v10 doesn't have the best resolution but I like it that it is small and easy to use. The night shots are also in general decent enough even in low light with no flash. And the best part about the v10 is that because it is so small, I really am able to take it anywhere I go and am even able to shove it down my front jeans pocket and am thus able to shoot wherever I go and whenever I feel like it.

Anyway, because the v10 is so small and easy to use, I decided to take it on a bus journey. So take a journey with me on SMRT 858. It's a journey I take five days a week to work and after peak hours when one is able to sit and relax, it is not difficult to appreciate the quiet, peaceful and rather pretty ride up the expressway that takes one from the North of Singapore, to the East and Changi Airport.

Many people who've never been to Singapore, have only seen pictures of all the tourist destinations, shots of the city skyline from the harbour down South or the many HDB flats that are spread out all over the island. But few outside of Singapore know the North and love the North like I do. While the housing estates of Yishun, Sembawang, Admiralty have sprouted up all around the area I've called home for almost all my life, much of the North still feels somewhat rural. Actually, away from the bustle of the South and the industrial estates in the West, much of the North and North-East is still surrounded by lots of greenery which sometimes give these areas a world apart from the rest of Singapore feel.

Anyway, all aboard and off we go. =)

SMRT 858 starts it's journey in Woodlands before making its way to Yishun where I board the bus.


(map courtesy of Street Directory)


The bus-stop where we board 858.


Corner of Ave 2 and Yishun Ring Road.


The bus-stop outside Yishun Stadium. Many of Singapore's bus-stops are now sheltered.

Our journey begins here. Singapore is often called a Garden City and it really does live up to its name. Tree lined streets are spread out all over the island and aren't just in select parts of the country. These trees line streets throughout all the business and shopping districts down South as well as the housing estates all over the island. This bus-stop sits between Khatib MRT station and Yishun MRT station on Yishun Avenue 2 and we board our bus here.


Street corner of Yishun Ave 1 and Lentor Avenue.

On the South-East edge of Yishun lies Lower Seletar Reservoir (click here for more info) and if you peer closely at the photo above, you might be able to spy the Lower Seletar Reservoir Park. The park isn't very big and it's a little hard to get parking if you drive. You'll have to park at the lots across the street at Yishun Stadium or at the HDB parking lots in the blocks across the street. Although the park isn't that big, it is rather pretty simply because the reservoir borders the entire stretch of one side of the park and the sparkingly waters and the help add to it's charm. The sun also rises over the reservoir and it is particularly pretty in the morning if you happen to pass the park at that time of day. Someday I'll try and wake up in the morning to shoot the sunrise.


Lower Seletar Reservoir from Lentor Ave.

As I wasn't able to get a better shot of the reservoir while I was on bus 858, I also took two shots of the reservoir while I was in my brother's car today. So here they are.


Lower Seletar Reservoir from Yishun Ave. 1


Lower Seletar Reservoir from Lentor Ave.



The North-South MRT line runs alongside Lentor Ave at almost street level before rising and crossing to the other side of the road nearer the junction of Yishun Ave 1 and Lentor Ave.


A view of a canal of water from the up-ramp into the SLE. The Sungei Seletar can be seen from the SLE but I missed that shot a little later up the expressway.

After travelling on Lentor Ave for a short distance, 858 will enter the Seletar Expressway (SLE) before making its way to the Tampines Expressway (TPE).


Lots of rainforest by the side of the SLE.


Views of the SLE, surrounded by greenery all around. (Also from my brother's car as I wasn't able to get a better shot from the bus.)

Soon after entering the TPE, 858 will take a short detour off the TPE and up to one end of the Jalan Kayu Flyover. The two bus-stops here serve residents of the housing estates nearby and soldiers from the Seletar Camp.

(map courtesy of Street Directory)


Approaching the exit ramp to the Jalan Kayu Flyover.


View of the turnaround at the end of the Jalan Kayu Flyover. Took this photo with the Canon 300D on a biking trip last year.

Our journey continues on the TPE after all the passengers who want to get on or off the bus do just that. And it's still pretty rural out there and if you're looking out the left hand side of the bus as it makes its way eastward, you might see yet another river. This time it's the Sungei Punggol.


(map courtesy of Street Directory)


Sungei Punggol from the TPE.

After long stretchs of rainforest, the TPE will finally bring us by a New Town. 858 will remain on the TPE as the flats from the Punggol New Town line the left side of the TPE, while the flats from Sengkang New Town lines the right side of the TPE.

But before we reach the Punggol and Sengkang New Towns, if we take the time to look out the right side of the bus, you'll see a stretch of flats out in the distance and they make quite a pretty sight in the distance especially on a sunny day when lots of white fluffy clouds are out in full force.


Not sure what New Town is in the distance in these shots.



Exit ramp to the Punggol and Sengkang New Towns. As always, the National Parks Board has done a fantastic job with greening the expressways and hiding the concrete.


(map courtesy of Street Directory)

Flats on the Punggol New Town side of the TPE


Flats from the Sengkang New Town side of the TPE.




After a spot of greenery, we'll go past the Pasir Ris New Town who's flats look kind of nice to be, at least the exterior does. I like the colour scheme.



After this 858 will make it's way past Tampines, Changi before heading towards Changi Airport. Unfortunately, by this time I've usually dozed off a bit since I usually do a lot of catching up on sleep in the bus and heh... heh... can't seem to kick the habit. =)

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed our little journey from the North to the East and now it is time for me to sleep. If time permits and if I'm not too pooped out tomorrow, I'll try and put up some more of the photos I shot on the v10 during the week.

For now, it is time for me to go off to bed. Good night for now. =)